End-of-Life Goals-of-Care Communication Among Ethnic Minorities in Long-Term Care Settings in the USA
Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: This scoping review will map and synthesize existing evidence on end‑of‑life goals‑of‑care (GoC) communication among ethnic minority populations in long‑term care (LTC) settings in the United States. Guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology, the review will examine how ethnic minority residents, their families, and LTC providers engage in GoC discussions, including advance care planning, code status conversations, hospice and palliative care referrals, and serious‑illness communication. The review will identify represented and underrepresented racial/ethnic groups, describe barriers and facilitators to communication, explore cultural, linguistic, religious, and structural influences, and summarize disparities in documentation and end‑of‑life decision‑making. First, a literature search of studies involving ethnic minority adults (≥18) in U.S. LTC settings using any of the following research methods; qualitative, quantitative, mixed‑methods, and relevant grey literature will be conductor in major databases including : PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Scopus, AgeLine, ProQuest Dissertations & Theses, and grey literature sources will be carried out using pre-identified search terms. Then studies to be included will be reviewed by 2 independent reviewers using Covidence. The data will then be extrated and findings chatted still using Covidence. The results will be synthesized descriptively and thematically, organized around key domains such as communication processes, cultural factors, intervention strategies, family involvement, and disparities in end‑of‑life care. The goal of this review is to map what is known, identify gaps in literature, and provide recommendations for research, policy, and practice to improve culturally responsive goals‑of‑care communication for diverse LTC populations in the United States.
Institution: University of Maryland, Baltimore
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7169031189